Means converting platen press to metallic leaf applying-hot die stamping press



y 2, 1967 n. LIEPELT 3,316,835

MEANS CONVERTING PLATEN PRESS TO METALLIC LEAF APPLYING-HOT DIE STAMPING PRESS Filed May 2, 1966 S'SheetS-Sheet 1 A TTOIP/YE) y 1967 D. LIEPELT 3 316,835

MEANS CONVERTING PLATEN PRESS METALLIC LEAF APPLYING-HOT DIE STAMP Filed May 2, 1966 PRESS Z5 SheetsA-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. D/AA 1/5/ 547 Q I I BY 4770/P/VEV y 1967 D. LIE LT 3,316,835

MEANS UONVERTLNG PLATEN PRESS METALLIC LEAF APPLYING-HOT DIE STAMPING PRESS v Filed May 2, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 a way/ l l/ w QJII i VEN Dm Z/fpEAT BY flyafix M ,47r0/P/vEV United States Patent Ofilice 3,316,835 Patented May 2, 1967 3 316 835 MEANS CONVERTING: PLhTEN PRESS TO METAL- pg: s LEAF APPLYING nor DIE STAMPING .E Dirk Liepelt, 218 SE. 13th St., Portland, Oreg. 97214 Filed May 2, 1966. Ser. N0. 546,916 3 Claims. Cl. 101-47) This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 309,092, filed Sept. 16, 1963, for Stamping Press Conversion for Platen Press.

This invention relates to conversion mechanism applicable to a platen press for the purpose of converting it for use as a stamping press.

A principal object of the invention to to provide such conversion mechanism which can be applied to a platen press quickly and easily to enable such platen press to be used for stamping operations while utilizing as far as possible the operative mechanism of the platen press, so as to avoid the need for a special press. In this connection it is an object to employ parts of the platen press as far as possible for mounting and driving conversion accessories.

In converting a platen press into a stamping press it is an object to utilize the automatic paper-handling mechanism of the platen press in the stamping operation and to provide a stamping press operation having operating characteristics as automatic as the operating characteristics of the platen press.

Specifically, it is an object to utilize roll-leaf in the stamping press operation, to support a supply of such rollleaf at one side of the form and feed such roll-leaf automatically across the printing face of the form by operation of the platen press mechanism.

' A further object is to provide type-heating mechanism in a form to enable the stamping operation to be accomplished and to control the degree of heating of the type effective to enable a satisfactory stamping operation to be accomplished.

It is also an object to enable the speed at which the roll-leaf is moved across the form to be regulated in accordance with the size of the stamping type so as to provide a fresh foil or leaf surface for each stamping operation, while conserving the roll-leaf as far as possible.

The foregoing objects can be accomplished by supporting a supply of roll-leaf by the frisket bracket of a platen press and feeding a leaf strip across the type face of the form by pulling it with a rotative member driven by the ink fountain mechanism. Such rotative member may be a spindle onto which the used strip of leaf is wound or it may be a drive roll cooperating with a pinch roll which will effect movement of the leaf strip between the rolls for accumulation in a suitable receiving receptacle. The stamping type of the press is heated by strip heaters locked in the chase in heat-conducting contact with the stamping type block of metal.

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective of the stamping press conversion showing in phantom the platen press to which the conversion is applied.

FIGURE 2 is a face view of a typical form utilized for the present invention and FIGURE 3 is a section through a portion of such form on line 33 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a top front perspective of the upper portion of the press and drive mechanism for the leaf strip and FIGURE 5 is a top rear perspective of such press portion and drive mechanism.

FIGURE 6 is top front perspective of the upper portion of the press and an alternate type of leaf strip drive mechanism and FIGURE 7 is a rear top perspective of such press portion and drive mechanism.

The conversion mechanism of the present invention to accomplish a stamping operation is particularly well suited for application to an original Heidelberg platen press including the frame 1 having the vertical flat bed 2 to which the form 3 is secured. A description of this press appears in the book Platen Press Operation by George Mills, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh, Pa, 1953, Library of Congress catalog card number 53- 11758, at pages 74 to 84. The platen 4 presses the paper against the form in the printing operation and carries automatic paper feed and handling mechanism, which is not shown. The inking rollers have been removed, but the ink fountain drive hand wheel 5 is still rotated incrementally step-b-y-step as it is rotated to actuate the ink fountain to feed ink in a printing operation. Other conventional features of the platen press have also been omitted because they have no function in use of the platen press for a stamping operation when converted as illustrated in the drawings.

In utilizing the platen press in a stamping operation the form is generally of the same type as used in a printing operation, except that the type 6 must be of metal and heated. The type block 7 is of metal and can be either of unitary or composite character, it being intended that the designation type block be understood to apply to either construction, or to a metal-backedl cut or other impression element. The important characteristics of such a type block are that it be type high, it must he metal so that it can be heated and it must have a printing face of a configuration suitable for embossing or for foil or leaf stamping.

Such a type block 7 is placed in heat-conductive contact with one or more heating elements 8. Such heating elements are of a size and shape suitable for incorporating in the form 3. Thus, such heating elements as shown in FIGURE 3 are less than type high and can be locked up in the chase 9 by furniture 10 held in tight contact by one or more quoins 11. It will be understood that the form shown in FIGURE 2 is simply representative. While the type block 7 is shown as being of rectangular shape and having its length extending horizontally as the form is mounted on the press bed 2 in FIGURE 1, the length of such a type block could extend vertically or even be inclined to the marginal elements of the chase, if desired.

The important characteristics of the form 3, according to the present invention, are (1) that the type block 7 be of heat-conductive metal and be type high, as shown in FIGURE 3 and stated previously, (2) that the heating elements 8 be of a shape complemental to the type block so as to provide contiguous engagement between the heating element and the type block over a substantial area, (3) that the furniture in engagement with the heating element or elements 8 be of thermal insulating character so as not to dissipate heat from the heating elements or that some other provision be made to prevent appreciable conduction of wasted heat from the heating elements 8, (4) that such heating elements be less than type high so that they can be locked up in a conventional chase with conventional furniture, and (5) that provision be made for heating the heating elements 8 in a manner which Will not interfere with the form assembly. It is preferred that the heating elements 8 be in the form of strips having central bores in which electric resistance heating elements 12 are lodged, which preferably are of the cartridge type. Electricity is supplied to such heaters through electric wires 13 which can extend through voids in the form.

In order to provide efficient heating action it is desirable for the heating elements 8 to be made of metal having good heat-storage and thermal-conducting characteristics, and aluminum is advantageous for this purpose. Thus, the heating elements may be made of square aluminum bar stock of appropriate lengths. While only two heating strips are shown in the form 3 of FIGURE 2 a larger number of such heating elements can be used either to heat a single type block or to heat a plurality of type blocks distributed in different portions of the form. If a single type block to be used in stamping is large it may be desirable to clamp heaters to it in heat-conducting relationship on four sides. Alternatively, if the type block is small or very elongated it may be sufficient to clamp only one heating element against it. The important consideration is that the heating elements clamped against the type block be capable of providing sufficient heat to the type block or blocks in the form. It has been found that two heaters 8 of the type shown in FIGURE 2 can heat satisfactorily solid metal cuts as much as two and one-half inches wide and extending the full length of the chase.

Particularly if more than one set of heating elements 8 composed of a pair of such elements supplied with electricity by a single wire 13 are provided, it is desirable to mount a plurality of electric outlets in a convenient location on the press. In FIGURE 1 a plurality of electric outlets 14 are shown as being mounted on the bar 15, which outlets are all fed by a single electrical connection 16. Such electrical connection is connected to a heatinglevel control 17 which in turn is supplied with electric current through the wire 18. Such heating-level control preferably is infinitely variable in the form of a rheostat, but it can be of the step-control type, such as conventionally used for electric ranges. More accurate control of the type heating can, however, be accomplished if the control 17 is of the infinitely variable type.

If the stamping process is to be used for the application of metal leaf or foil to paper rather than for hot embossing the press conversion will include supply and drive mechanism for roll-leaf. The supply roll 19 of such rollleaf is shown in FIGURE 1 as being rotatively mounted on a rod 20 supported in cantilever fashion in the conventional frisket bracket 20' of the press. By supporting the rod in such cantilever fashion the roll-leaf spool or roll can be slipped easily onto the rod, and set collars or clamps 19' secured on the rod at opposite sides of the roll-leaf roll can hold the roll in the proper relationship to the frame 3. From the roll-leaf supply roll the strip 21 passes upward across the form and press frame to pulling mechanism for drawing such strip upwardly intermittently in increments. Such pulling mechanism is powered by the ink fountain drive mechanism of the press in the form of pulling mechanism shown in FIGURES 1, 4 and 5. A pulling rod 22 is supported in brackets 23 projecting upward from the upper portion of the press frame 1. Such rod is rotatable and can be driven intermittently by a belt 24 connecting a pulley 25 on the end of rod 22 with the grooved hand wheel of the ink fountain drive mechanism forming a drive pulley.

The upper end of the roll-leaf strip 21 can be secured in pulling engagement with the rotative rod 22 in various ways. The end of the strip may be attached to a spool keyed to the rod 22. The diameter of such spool, the diameter of the pulley 25, the diameter of the pulley 5 and the adjustment of the ink fountain mechanism ratchet, which controls the degree of angular movement of such pulley for each actuation of the ratchet, will determine the speed of linear travel of the roll-leaf strip 21 across the form 3. Eight different ratchet drive settings for the pulley 5 are provided in the Heidelberg platen press ink fountain mechanism. As stated in the book Platen Press Operation referred to above at page 83, paragraph numbered (24), the ratchet wheel setting at the end of the fountain roller is adjusted as more or less ink is needed over all of the form and adjustment is made in the same manner if a greater or lesser incremental movement of the strip 21 is desired for each stamping operation. As stated on page 78 of that book, paragraph (4), the fountain roller turn gauge can be adjusted to number four which would constitute a satisfactory setting for many stamping operations. Selecting different ratchet settings and spools for rod 22 having different diameters enables a wide range of intermittent feed movement increments of the strip 21 to be effected. Such strip should be moved incrementally between successive stamping operations a distance sufficient so that a fresh leaf or foil area will overlie the type block for each stamping operation.

Between the roll-leaf supply roll 19 and the pulling rod 22 the roll-leaf strip 21 passes over the oscillating ink cylinder of the platen press. The friction which would be caused by engagement of the ink cylinder roller with the roll-leaf strip would produce static electricity effecting an attraction of such strip which would draw it down into the moving parts of the press. To preventsueh displacement of the roll-leaf strip the conversion includes a shielding cover plate 26 which extends over the ink; cylinder of the press and constitutes a guide and bearing surface for the strip between the form 3 and the pulling rod 22. Also, this cover plate constitutes a convenient support for the electric outlet mounting bar 15. On the cover plate 26 may also be mounted a guide-supportingrod 27 for carrying guides 28 to provide an intermediate guide for the roll-leaf strip 21 between the form 3 and the strip-pulling mechanism. Such guides can be of the pinch-clamp type or they can be plates mounted on friction sleeves so that such guides can be adjusted to any desired positions along the guide-supporting rod.- 7

In applying the conversion mechanism to the platen press for the purpose of utilizing it for a stamping dpera tion it is only necessary to remove the inking rolls and the frisket, if one is being used. The ink cylinder shielding cover plate 26 carrying the electric outlet mounting bar 15 and the guide-supporting rod 27 is then installed. Next, the desired stamping form 3 is attached to the press bed 2 and the electric wire or wires 13 of the formheating means are plugged into one or more of the out lets 14. If the press is to be used for a hot-embossing operation the press is ready to run after the heating element or elements 8 have sufficiently heated the type block. The paper is then fed to the press platen 4 in the usual way employed when the press is being used for printing instead of stamping.

If a leaf or foil stamping operation is to be performed the rod 20 is inserted into the frisket bracket 20 and a roll-leaf supply roll or spool 19 is slid onto the rod 20.- The strip of roll-leaf is drawn upward over the form 3 and the rod 27, and the guides 28 are set on such rod to effect proper alignment of the roll-leaf strip 21. Normally brackets 23 will remain in place on the press, but the pulling rod 22 and belt 24 may have been removed. If so, these elements are assembled in place with a winding spool of desired size being mounted on the rod 22. The upper end of the roll-leaf strip 21 is then secured to the spool or rod so that intermittent turning of the rod will effect proper indexing of the strip 21.

The press is now ready to apply metal leaf or foil in a stamping operation. The roll-leaf is mounted so that the leaf is on the outer side of the strip 21 and the carrier paper is on the underside next to the form 2 As the paper P is pressed against the roll-leaf strip 21 by the platen 4, as indicated in FIGURE 3, the area of the leaf corresponding to the type or cut face will be transferred from the strip 21 onto the paper and bonded to the paper if the face of the type block is at the proper temperature.

In FIGURES 4 and 5 the ink fountain drive mechanism of the press which is utilized to effect the pulling feed of the roll-leaf strip 21 is shown in more detail. These two views, like FIGURE 1, show the roll-leaf strip 21 being wound on the spool 22 mounted on the pulling rod 22. Such rod in turn, as explained above, is rotated intermittently by the belt 24 engaging drive pulley 25 which is driven by the ink fountain drive hand wheel 5. The only difference between the conventional ink fountain drive mechanism and the roll-leaf strip pulling mecha nism is the substitution of the hand wheel having in its periphery, a groove for receiving and driving belt 24, whereas the usual hand wheel of the ink fountain drive mechanism simply has a rim of circular cross section.

Adjustment of the angular increment through which the drive wheel 5 turns for each printinig operation can be made by movement of the lever 29 from one to another of the eight positions of adjustment possible for the conventional ink fountain drive mechanism of the original Heidelberg platen press. Such ink fountain drive adjustment is well known to any printer acquainted with this type of press.

In FIGURES 6 and 7, the alternative type of pulling mechanism for the ro1l-leaf strip 21 includes exactly the same type of driving mechanism for the strip-pulling rod 22. In this instance, however, instead of winding the strip onto a spool mounted on the rod, such rod, supported by bracket 23' carries a strip-engaging roller 22" against which the strip is held by pinch rolls 30 mounted on arms 32 and spring-pressed toward each other by spring 3 3. The roll-leaf strip is simply passed between each of these two rolls and the center roller 22" and is allowed to accumulate in folds in a receiving receptacle 31 located beneath such pinchroll pulling drive for the strip. Otherwise, the mechanism shown in these figures is the same as that described previously with respect to FIGURES 1 and 6, inclusive.

It will be evident that the rate of feed of the rollleaf strip can be regulated for this type of pulling mechanism in a manner similar to that described with respect to the mechanism shown in FIGURES 1 to 5. In addition to varying the incremental rotative movement of the ink fountain drive mechanism as explained previously, different sizes of roller 22." can be used with the pinch rolls to vary the rate of feed, such as rollers of one-inch diameter, two-inch diameter and five-inch diameter. Such selections of roller sizes and adjustment of the ink fountain drive mechanism feed rate will enable the strip to be moved in increments from one-fourth inch to nine and onehalf inches.

I claim as my invention:

1. Stamping press conversion mechanism for a platen press having ink fountain drive mechanism moving intermittently step-by-step, a press bed, a press frame above the press bed and a frisket bracket below the press bed, comprising a roll-leaf supply-supporting rod carried below the press bed by the press frisket bracket, roll-leaf strip-pulling means supported from the press frame above the press bed and engaged with a roll-leaf strip extending upwardly across the press bed from said roll-leaf supply-supporting rod, and drive means connecting said roll-leaf strip-pulling means and the ink fountain drive mechanism or" the press for driving said roll-leaf strippulling means intermittently step-by-step by movement of v the ink fountain drive mechanism.

2. The stamping press conversion defined in claim 1, the platen press having an inking cylinder, an antistatic shield mounted on the platen press frame over the inking cylinder above the press bed and below the roll-leaf strip-pulling means for movement of the roll-leaf strip over it between the roll-leaf supply-supporting rod and the roll-leaf strip-pulling means.

3. The stamping press conversion defined in claim 2, an electric outlet carried by the antistatic shield, a form including a type-high metal type block, a heating block having a thickness less than type high and a width at least substantially as great as its thickness, an electric heating element received in the generally central portion of said block, a chase and means securing said type block and said heating block in contiguous heat-conducting contact in said chase, and wire means extending through a space in said electric outlet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner. 

1. STAMPING PRESS CONVERSION MECHANISM FOR A PLATEN PRESS HAVING INK FOUNTAIN DRIVE MECHANISM MOVING INTERMITTENTLY STEP-BY-STEP, A PRESS BED, A PRESS FRAME ABOVE THE PRESS BED AND A FRISKET BRACKET BELOW THE PRESS BED, COMPRISING A ROLL-LEAF SUPPLY-SUPPORTING ROD CARRIED BELOW THE PRESS BED BY THE PRESS FRISKET BRACKET, ROLL-LEAF STRIP-PULLING MEANS SUPPORTED FROM THE PRESS FRAME ABOVE THE PRESS BED AND ENGAGED WITH A ROLL-LEAF STRIP EXTENDING UPWARDLY ACROSS THE PRESS BED FROM SAID ROLL-LEAF SUPPLY-SUPPORTING ROD, AND DRIVE MEANS CONNECTING SAID ROLL-LEAF STRIP-PULLING MEANS AND THE INK FOUNTAIN DRIVE MECHANISM OF THE PRESS FOR DRIVING SAID ROLL-LEAF STRIPPULLING MEANS INTERMITTENTLY STEP-BY-STEP BY MOVEMENT OF THE INK FOUNTAIN DRIVE MECHANISM. 